General manager of Auburn McDonald's killed in two-car crash

A 53-year-old Spencer woman was killed in a head-on collision on Main Street near The Castle Restaurant on Sunday afternoon.

Katrina I. Riedle of 122 W. Main St., Spencer, died in the crash. The driver of the second car, Regina Pingeton, 58, of 2 Walbridge Road, Leicester, was listed in stable condition Sunday evening, according to Paul Jarvey, a spokesman for Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early. It was unclear at which hospital she was being treated.

Police said the crash happened at 1:49 p.m. when the Ford Fusion Ms. Riedle was driving as she headed west crossed the center line and collided with Ms. Pingeton's Toyota Venza. The Venza was headed east.

Both vehicles sustained heavy front end damage, and a deployed air bag was visible inside the Venza.

The crash forced police to close the eastbound lane of Route 9 for several hours. The vehicles remained in place as officers from the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council took photographs and measurements to reconstruct how the accident happened. Traffic was heavy and slow through the area.

Ms. Riedle, who went also by Katy, was general manager of the McDonald's restaurant at 72 Auburn St., Auburn.

In 2001 she received the prestigious Ray Kroc Award, which at the time was bestowed on 127 managers across the United States for achieving superior results in selected areas of performance. At that time she had been with the company for 23 years.

Her two daughters, then teenagers, also worked with her at that restaurant when she earned the honor. A Facebook page belonging to one of Ms. Riedle's daughters indicates she has grandchildren.